About eighty students were given a glimpse of the dangers we face from nuclear warfare last Wednesday week when Dr. R. H. Locker, of the Dsir. and Mr McCreary, of the Social Science School, talked about aspects of nuclear warfare. Dr. Locker started off by dealing with the effects of radiation on human tissues. He emphasised that the genetic mutations now known to result from radiation almost always produce some change for the worse. Rarely do mutations work for the better; the great percentage result in tragedy. This tragedy does not end when the victim dies, for the effects of radiation on reproductive cells are carried into succeeding generations.

It was originally thought that the percentage of mutations would be strictly proportional to the dosage of radiation. Now we know that this is not so. A high dosage rate is much more dangerous than small amounts over a long period of time, and continuation of nuclear tests will, of course, result in a high dosage rate in a relatively short time. It is not even as certain as at first supposed that there is a "safety threshold."

Nuclear War

It is clear that wars of the future will differ very much from those the world has so far seen. Not only is there going to be a difference in the quality of destruction but the quality of destruction will differ as well. The after-effects of a nuclear war would involve most of the world, and in this sense there could be no "neutrals." Answering questions, the speakers pointed out that there was no "Survival Committee" or other form of civil defence against nuclear war in this country, nor even much effort to educate people in what precautions they could take if war started. In the U.S some effort, though rather a hesitant one, is being made to induce people to build shelters, while in Russia this project is well under way.

Student Attitudes

Interviews with students afterwards produced some interesting findings. There are those who are just not interested. They "haven't thought about it"—the whole problem seems so far away, and very remote from the life of the average Kiwi student. Generally, there is a "we-are-quite-safe-here" attitude. One student—in Economics—thought he could calculate and prove the unlikelihood of another World War. Many of those at the meeting favoured the termination of nuclear tests. But it seems that unless more publicity is given to the issues of nuclear arms the Kiwi student will never come out of his trance—he is too content, and feels too safe to be really frightened.

—B.T.M.